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Over the past decade there has been a rise in the number of people with Emotional Support Animals. This has caused some confusion around what it means to have a service, emotional support or therapy animal . Here, we explain briefly the differences between each of these animals, the training required for each different type, and debunk some common myths. Read on to learn the differences between each type of animal, which one might be right for you or your loved one, and how Dog Training Elite Omaha can help.
Not all training packages may be available at our Dog Training Elite Omaha location, please reference our pricing page for complete information on services offered.
ESA vs. Therapy vs. Service Animals: What's the Difference?
Service Animals
Service animals are animals that have been trained to assist individuals with tasks specific to their needs.
- Redirecting attention when an individual is beginning to feel overstimulated
- Reminding owners to take medication
- Waking someone who is having a nightmare
Service dogs are valued in the mental health, health care and disability community and are protected under ADA laws which allow owners to take their service dog with them everywhere they go. Dog Training Elite Omaha trains dogs to serve individuals with autism, diabetes and PTSD.
Dog Training Elite Omaha trains autism service dogs to benefit and assist children with autism. Autism service dogs can be trained to track their child in case of wandering and redirect a child’s behavior when they are starting to become overwhelmed.
PTSD service dogs help ground owners to reality, especially in public settings. These service dogs can also be trained to recognize signs of a panic attack and regulate emotional responses through pressure.
Diabetic service dogs can alert their owners to their low blood sugar and provide stability, safety and support.
Visit our individual web pages to understand more about the differences and benefits of autism service dogs, PTSD services dogs and diabetic service dogs.
Emotional Support Animals
Although all dog owners may feel the emotional benefits of owning a dog, the dog needs to be prescribed by a licensed mental health professional to a person with a disabling mental illness such as anxiety or depression to legally be considered an ESA. Emotional Support dogs can be of any age and any breed whereas service dogs usually begin training as puppies.
In addition to being prescribed by a mental health professional, owners may wish for their dog to undergo more specific training. If you are looking for emotional support dog training in your local area, Dog Training Elite Omaha has you covered.
The professional dog trainers of Dog Training Elite Omaha are experienced with training various types of therapy animals. Trainers work with a dog’s natural temperament to ensure a strong, loving bond between dog and owner. Training can be personalized to fit the needs of the owner.
It is important to note that Emotional Support Animals are meant for just that - emotional support. Dogs trained to assist with specific tasks that may be associated with a disability are service animals. Training a dog to be an Emotional Support Animal or a therapy dog is less intensive than training to be a service animal.
Therapy Animals
Therapy Animals are very similar to Emotional Support Animals, except that they are often used to bolster the mental health and wellbeing of a community, as opposed to just an individual. Therapy dogs are often seen serving in hospitals, rehabilitation or care centers with their owners.
Owners who feel their dog may be a good fit for this kind of community service can have them receive top-notch training from Dog Training Elite Omaha.
The most important thing to note as a difference between Emotional Support Animals, Therapy and Service dogs, is service animals are protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act which states service animals must be able to accompany their owners wherever they go. Emotional Support and Therapy animals do not have the same protections and public establishments may have their own rules about ESA and therapy dogs.
Whether you’re ready to get a new lease on life with the help of a service dog, or strengthen the existing bond with your dog, Dog Training Elite Omaha has the experience and resources you need.
Our Balanced Theory
We base our training around the "Classical Conditioning" model (a.k.a. "Pavlovian" or "respondent conditioning"). This includes developing conditioned or automatic reflexes to commands. In its simplest form (after proper conditioning), when the owner says "sit," the dog automatically sits without thinking about it. Our unique techniques ensure our program is a success no matter what behavior we encounter.
Empowering Owners
We empower owners to train so their dog knows who to obey at all times.
Personalized
We deal with problem behaviors on a personal basis.
Environment Specific
We train wherever issues tend to arise (i.e. jogging, park, home).
Supportive
We support owners in the off-hours (when training is "not in session").
Involved
We work with all members of the household.
Simplified & Customized
We plan training around the owner's schedule and require only 20 min/day follow-up practice.
Continued Training
Additional programs / group sessions offered after in-home training.
Lifetime Investment
We follow up & are invested in the owner's success long-term.
Satisfaction Ratings
Our high client satisfaction rating sets us apart from competitors.
clas·si·cal con·di·tion·ing PSYCHOLOGY noun A learning process that occurs when two stimuli are repeatedly paired; a response that is at first elicited by the second stimulus and is eventually elicited by the first stimulus alone.
We help your dog become a valued companion and beloved member of the family. Read what our customers have to say and then give us a call!
I recently completed training with my dog, Islaroo, through Dog Training Elite Omaha, and I couldn’t be more pleased with the results! We went through their training program and group classes, and I’m thrilled to share that Islaroo just passed her test to become a certified therapy dog. The trainers were incredibly patient and always willing to listen and work through any issues we encountered. They work with dogs and owners at all levels of ability, which made the experience even more comfortable for us. Group classes can sometimes be unnerving because you never know how dogs will react or how much control the owners will have. However, I’ve never felt nervous or had any concerns during these classes. Their support and expertise gave me and my family the confidence to take Islaroo anywhere, and she now even goes off-leash in many places! I highly recommend Dog Training Elite Omaha for their dedication and personalized approach— Susan Bartman
Posted October 21st 2024
Where do I even begin… Bob, Mari, and Dave came into Maverick and my life at one of the lowest points in my life. From a really traumatic experience, I learned that I wanted my high energy, slightly out of control golden retriever to be my service dog. However, I didn’t know where to go to train him to sit let alone service dog tasks to help my mental health. But I found DTE and signed up for a consultation. From the moment I met Bob and his team, I immediately knew and trusted them to help me on this journey. A few weeks after our consultation I bit the bullet and decided to sign up with them officially and we got to work. Bob and his team are SO knowledgeable, kind, and patient. Not only have they helped me train my sweet Mavvy boy but they have supported me endlessly and as a result my confidence as a dog mama and a person has grown astronomically. I simply don’t have enough words for how grateful I am for DTE Omaha. If you are needing a dog trainer for ANYTHING. DTE is SO worth the investment, time, and energy.— Desteny Lashay
Posted October 19th 2024
Where do I even begin… Bob, Mari, and Dave came into Maverick and my life at one of the lowest points in my life. From a really traumatic experience, I learned that I wanted my high energy, slightly out of control golden retriever to be my service dog. However, I didn’t know where to go to train him to sit let alone service dog tasks to help my mental health. But I found DTE and signed up for a consultation. From the moment I met Bob and his team, I immediately knew and trusted them to help me on this journey. A few weeks after our consultation I bit the bullet and decided to sign up with them officially and we got to work. Bob and his team are SO knowledgeable, kind, and patient. Not only have they helped me train my sweet Mavvy boy but they have supported me endlessly and as a result my confidence as a dog mama and a person has grown astronomically. I simply don’t have enough words for how grateful I am for DTE Omaha. If you are needing a dog trainer for ANYTHING. DTE is SO worth the investment, time, and energy.— Desteny Miller
Posted October 19th 2024
Great trainers! My dog loves them and loves going to the group classes. Bob is really knowledgeable with service dog training. Overall we’ve had a great experience.— Sandra Lopez
Posted October 13th 2024
With the training our dogs have received we can take them anywhere with confidence. It has been so helpful— Brandy Clarke
Posted October 5th 2024
Work with Bob and Mari has been game changing for our dog and family. Within one session we saw a huge difference, and now, several sessions in, we have a different dog entirely. We can take her in public, she’s less reactive to other dogs, she follows commands and is obedient. The investment into training her was so worth it and has brought a sense of calm to our home we didn’t know we could have with a large puppy around. Give Dog Training Elite Omaha a call. You won’t regret it!— Stephanie Lewis
Posted August 16th 2024
We are so pleased with the work Bob and his team have done! Our dog is so much better behaved and we better owners because of the skills we have learned at each of our training sessions. My only regret is not having done this sooner. I would recommend this training regiment to any looking hands on approach to pet ownership.— Marc Lewis
Posted August 16th 2024
Amazing! Dog Training Elite Omaha exceeds our expectations for both of our pups! Before we confined our fur babies when visitors came. Now they are well-mannered and delightful hostesses. 😊— Lara Huskey
Posted June 2nd 2024
I would recommend Bob at Dog Training Elite daily! I had a reactive, misbehaved, and undisciplined Great Dane. I became overwhelmed and had no idea what to do with her behavior. I called Bob and he was confident that he could help me. After session one, I immediately saw a difference in behavior. I can now take Ellie with me almost anywhere! We had our first group class and not only was Bob extremely encouraging, everyone was so patient and very welcoming! Hiring Dog Training Elite was the best decision I have ever made for Ellie.— Harleigh
Posted June 1st 2024
Bob and his team did a great job of training Lucky (& us!). The one-on-one training sessions and group classes have helped Lucky master skills and be more comfortable in different environments around other dogs. Lucky has made great progress and we are so glad that we found Dog Training Elite. 💙— Katrina Wulf
Posted June 1st 2024
Bob has done such an amazing job with Max as well as teaching us how to train Max. Max has learned so many commands and executes them very well. I highly recommend Dog Training Elite Omaha and Bob.— Annis Clark
Posted May 31st 2024
We highly recommend Bob. Bode has come so far in his training and has become so well mannered. Bode has learned his commands so well in such a short time. Thanks, Bob!— Trish Kirby
Posted May 31st 2024
My daughter, Leslie, chose DTE Omaha for their special little man, in October, 2023. We noticed a night & day difference after Charlie's very FIRST in-home session! The patience shown to not just the dogs, but to the humans too, are unparalleled. In January, 2024, we had a sweet little girl choose us to be her Mommy & Daddy. I just put in the assessment request for Sadie to begin classes. I didn't need to 'shop around' after witnessing first-hand Charlie's transformation! For us DTE is a no-brainer! We're a military family, and very happy with the work & services DTE provides for the military community!— Meloney Smith
Posted April 13th 2024
Bob & Lyris at DTE-O are amazing!! They are so patient and understanding of my dog's trauma/reactivity. Zoe has made great strides in the 6 week (individual) classes and 2 (group) training sessions she has attended. Not only has the training helped her, it's been imperative for myself as well, to be "trained" and comfortable handling/correcting her behavior. Zoe has also gotten very good at "puppy push-ups," and seems to enjoy coming to work (class) as she is eager to listen and please. I'm so grateful to be working with DTE-O and I know for sure Zoe's outcome could've been much different if we had not found Bob & Lyris.— Audrey Carter
Posted April 6th 2024
Absolutely the best decision I ever made for my puppy!— Kayla Bullock
Posted February 23rd 2024
Bob has done a great job training our dog Remy to be a service dog. Bob does one on one instruction as well as group classes. He also provides a veteran/military discount.— Amanda Butler
Posted January 7th 2024
I was a bit apprehensive at first, but Bob quickly put my mind and heart at ease. The in home trainings have been foundational…with good results. Bob is a natural. He understands my dog’s temperament and works to create a connection. Briggs and I experienced our first group class last week. It was a well run class and well worth our time. There is real value in the group classes he offers! There is no hesitation in my recommendation of DTE Omaha!— Judi Huff
Posted January 2nd 2024
Bob is absolutely incredible! He is very kind and patient, not just with the dog but with us humans who get the training too! I have noticed a HUGE difference in my HUGE Bernese Mountain Dog and it’s all thanks to this training course and the classes we’ve taken. Bernie and family are all happy!— Brittany Marie
Posted January 1st 2024
Bob is absolutely incredible! He is very kind and patient, not just with the dog but with us humans who get the training too! I have noticed a HUGE difference in my HUGE Bernese Mountain Dog and it’s all thanks to this training course and the classes we’ve taken. Bernie and family are all happy!— Brittany Timperley
Posted January 1st 2024
I contacted Bob and Lyris after Ziggy and I got into a car accident. Ziggy became very fearful about getting into a car. With the help of Bob and Lyris, Ziggy loves to get back into the car once again for rides. I cannot say enough great things about Bob and Lyris. They have helped me train Ziggy into a great dog that listens to commands and they care about every dog they train. Thank you Bob and Lyris— Max Martin
Posted December 30th 2023